St. Croix This Week / Watersports

Watersports

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In the protected reef waters off St. Croix beaches lie the "gardens" of the Caribbean — brain coral, sea fans, sea stars, forests of elkhorn coral formations found in depths of less than sixty feet. Hundreds of tropical fish live in and around the reefs.

Watersports & Activities

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watersports-painting.jpgSt. Croix is surrounded by some of the most beautiful water in the world! How can you not get in it, get under it, or on top of it? Year-round warm temperatures make it so inviting for all kinds of activities.

watersports-buck-island-excursionsHop aboard a catamaran or trimaran and head with the pros to Buck Island off St. Croix's North Shore and 7 miles from Christiansted. Leave from town or Green Cay Marina. Visit Buck Island Reef National Monument--the first US Underwater National Park! Imagine a snorkel-guided tour through crystal clear water for an experience you'll never forget!

watersports-sunset-sailsCaribbean sunsets are amazing especially when reflected in our beautiful waters. You can enjoy this romantic activity any day of the week with boats leaving from town and Gallows Bay.

Continue reading "Watersports & Activities" »

Schooner Roseway Returns

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schooner-roseway-returns-photo.jpgThe Captain and crew of World Ocean School's historic schooner Roseway return to St. Croix early November for their fourth season of educational programming and public day sails.

World Ocean School will once again offer activities that help raise funds for the winter programs, including sunset sails for locals and visitors. Roseway will also be available for holiday parties and events with part of the cost a tax-deductible donation to the World Ocean School.

Roseway will again be hosting 700 7th grade students and will also host an overnight sail program for current 8th graders who came through the 7th grade program last year. Private school and youth organization programs will be accommodated as well.

World Ocean School creates and provides a method of experiential education at sea that cultivates teamwork, community service, environmental responsibility, and cross-cultural friendships so that teenage students worldwide gain insight into becoming empowered, motivated, and engaged citizens. For more information on programs and schedules, visit them online at www.worldoceanschool.org or call 340-626-7877.

The Reel Story: Sportfishing in St. Croix

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By Anna Holley

the-reel-story-photo.jpgIt might surprise you to know that the waters surrounding St. Croix are brimming with hungry Mahi Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Marlin, and other species of game fish. Other Caribbean locales get more publicity, but St. Croix has much to offer anglers seeking the thrill of reeling in the catch of a lifetime.

Captain Carl Holley stakes his livelihood on providing an excellent day on the water. His passion is fishing, and he loves to show his clients just how exciting a sport fishing charter can be. One of the biggest misconceptions about fishing St. Croix is that you must go far offshore to catch big fish. "Not true," says Captain Carl. "The ocean floor drops to more than a thousand feet just a mile outside of the Christiansted Harbor." Because worthy opponents like Mahi, Wahoo, and Marlin thrive in deep water, anglers enjoy more time fishing and less time traveling to hot spots.

Continue reading "The Reel Story: Sportfishing in St. Croix" »

Dive Experience - First PADI 5-Star IDC Center on St. Croix

Award-winning Owner Celebrates 26 years and A Slot in the Women Divers' Hall of Fame!

dive-experience-skeeter.jpgMichelle Pugh learned to dive in LA in 1970. Her interest in marine life began with a high school class in tide pool biology. Swimming lessons and her first open water dive class at the North Hollywood YMCA followed.

Michelle dived most weekends and holidays and later worked part time with Fish and Wildlife in the summers while attending school in San Diego. In the fall of 1977, she had a chance to go to St. Croix to teach diving for three months at VI Divers Ltd., falling in love with the island and its diving and staying on to start her own business!

One of the most incredible dives she ever made was in 1979 when asked to go to Canada to photograph killer whales for a book, A Whale called Killer, by Erich Hoyt. This experience would serve her well down the road.

Continue reading "Dive Experience - First PADI 5-Star IDC Center on St. Croix" »

Buck Island Excursions

Big Beard's Adventure Tours - 773-4482
Sail our roomy and handsome catamaran Renegade or reliable and fast Flyer from the Wharf to Buck Island. Our great lunch BBQ is a treat. Captain Big Beard is also an ordained minister and performs weddings on board or around the island.

Caribbean Sea Adventures - 773-2628
Located adjacent to Fort Christiansvaern, CSA hosts several excursions to this US underwater National Park. Enjoy a full-day sail aboard our 32' catamaran "Wavedancer" or our 32' trimaran "Trine." We also offer half-day glass bottom powerboat excursions, which are the fastest way to get there! Don't miss out on our famous West Indian-style BBQ--all you can eat and drink. Ask about our underwater video systems.

Teroro II and Dragonfly - 773-3161
Sailing aboard either of these trimarans, departing from Green Cay Marina with Captain Heinz or Captain Carl, is a wonderful way to visit Buck Island. Dragonfly is exclusive for six passengers. Recommended in Frommers Tour Guide.

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Sunset Sails

Caribbean Sea Adventures - 773-2628
Try the most requested sunset sail on St. Croix and the most popular trip with CSA! Join us for a romantic 2-hour sail through historic Christiansted Harbor and the North shore. Great music, snacks, and our famous rum punch make this a must do!

Jolly Roger - 513-2508
Close the day on the water with a relaxing sunset sail on the Jolly Roger 42' Catamaran with Captain Mike complete with complementary drinks! The Jolly Roger can accommodate small groups up to six or private groups up to twenty. Most trips depart from the boardwalk in Christiansted. Jolly Roger is a National Park Service Concessionaire.

The Roseway - 626-7877
World Ocean School offers daily sunset sails, from 4-6:30pm, aboard this registered US National Historic Landmark. She departs and returns to the Port Authority Dock in Gallows Bay. Reservations.

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Parasailing

Cruzan Breeze Parasailing - 642-0723
St. Croix weather is perfect for parasailing! And, located on the East end of the Christiansted boardwalk, we are the ONLY parasailing company on St. Croix! Get a bird's eye view of St. Croix and underwater sights perched 500 feet in the air!

Waverunners & Jet Skies

Ride Red Jet Skis Rentals - 277-8295 Voted "Best Local Tour on St. Croix" by the readers of the Daily News. As Frederiksted's only watersports concession, we feature 3-seater Yamaha Jet Skis and double & single kayaks and snorkeling gear. Our "Land and Sea Package" includes an ATV rainforest tour, jet skis, kayaks, snorkeling and discounts on drinks and food at the award -winning Rhythms Restaurant. Play volleyball in the sand or stretch out and catch the best sunset of your life--maybe even see the "Green Flash"! You can find us "limin' at Rhythms at Rainbow Beach" in Frederiksted. Call for local and group discounts. "Ride Red, Ride Fast." Open Monday thru Thursday by appointment, Friday, Saturday and Sunday open all day. Fsted Map #3

Island Flight Jet Ski Rentals - 778-7541
We offer jet ski tours, snorkeling, wakeboarding, tow behinds, and hourly rentals. Voted Best Virgin Islands Jet Ski Tours, 2008 (VI Daily News). Open 7 days a week from 9-6pm. Come see us in Christiansted on the boardwalk next to Stixx.
Christiansted Map #81.

St. Croix Water Sports Center - 773-7060
We have first class Jet Ski ocean excursions all guided by a US Coast Guard Licensed Captain. Excellent service, best equipment, competitive prices. Fun for the entire family - jet ski tours, island's only professional windsurfing school, snorkeling rentals and tours, paddleboats, kayaks, sunfish sailing, and more to come. Located on a small private island - Hotel on the Cay - Christiansted's only beach! Open 10-6pm
www.stcroixwatersports.com

Scuba

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Did you know?
St. Croix is the only island in the Caribbean where a diver can:

- Dive a Wall--it drops over 13,000 feet.
- Dive a reef--the largest living reef of any Caribbean island.
- Dive a wreck--there are 5 within 100 yards of each other.
- Dive a pier--the most phenomenal macro dive you'll ever do...all in the same day! Log onto the website www.DIVERSeVIRGIN.com or stop by any of the dive shops on these pages to find out about Dive Specials. One day introductory SCUBA courses and beach dives get beginners in the water within hours of initial instruction!

Anchor Dive Center - 778-1522
We're the only dive center located in Salt River Bay National Park offering 5-minute boat rides to the most requested Walls and famous North shore dive sites. Join us for a package and get a complimentary historical/ecological kayak tour with Caribbean Adventure Tours!

Caribbean Sea Adventures - 773-2628
Try the most requested sunset sail on St. Croix and the most popular trip with CSA! Join us for a romantic 2-hour sail through historic Christiansted Harbor and the North shore. Great music, snacks, and our famous rum punch make this a must do!

Dive Experience - 773-3307
Get to know St. Croix's underwater wildlife--Turtles, Eels, Sting Rays, Eagle Rays, Manta Rays, Dolphins, and even Humpback Whales with St. Croix's Original PADI 5-Star IDC Center! Michelle Pugh, a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, opened Dive Experience in 1983 and has the most experienced dive staff on the island. Diver safety, combined with fun and preservation of the marine environment are our primary concerns. Daily Boat Dives. Diver Training. We love to dive and it shows! www.divexp.com
Christiansted Map #37.

Snorkeling

Snorkeling is easy to learn at any age and is offered on the Buck Island tours, with snorkel, mask, and fins provided. Snorkel gear in a wide price range is sold at all dive shops and many hotel gift shops.
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Kayak Tours

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Virgin Kayak Tours- 718-0071
Why Virgin Kayak Tours? We want to be the highlight of your vacation! All our guided tours are created to be unique, customized learning adventures! We focus on ecology, history, and cultural heritage, taking the time to create the best tour possible! Our passion for the preservation of our natural and historic resources comes
through whether you take a half-day tour of the National Park, a custom tour to Shell Island, or an extended week-long adventure. Our award winning Hobie Mirage Kayaks take you farther faster, making your tour effortless and enjoyable! You’ll love it! We’ve been proudly showing visitors the best of St Croix for twelve years. Call Bryan or Jill Updyk. St. Croix Map #35

Caribbean Adventure Tours - 778-1522
Featured in ISLANDS magazine, the NY Times, and on the Discovery Channel, we offer an exhilarating Salt River National Park kayak experience! Paddle through lush mangroves on tranquil luminescent water, see wildlife and listen to historical lore along the way.

Sea-Thru Kayak Adventures- 244-8696
St. Croix has one of the most unique underwater eco-systems in the Caribbean. See it all, right beneath you in a clear kayak! Sea-Thru Kayak Adventures features the ONLY clear kayak tours on St. Croix! Offering island-wide tours every morning and evening. See the bioluminescent bay in Salt River, pristine mangrove forests at Altoona Lagoon, and living reef ecosystems on the East and West ends of the island. Our tours are unique, and not only will you see the marine world swimming beneath you, but the birds, iguanas, and other creatures on the land above! Learn interesting facts about St. Croix's rich history and ecology! A family owned and operated company; long-time island residents Bryce and Craig Scott are brimming with local knowledge that they incorporate into each tour. These tours are family friendly, ages 5-105! 2 person kayaks, $50 per person. Tour locations are dependent on weather conditions that day. St. Croix Map #36


Sportfishing

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Irie Feelin Sportfishing Charters - 244-4232
Come fishing aboard Irie Feelin a 40' air-conditioned Viking rigged to the teeth for offshore fishing including a full complement of Penn International Reels with custom rods and a Release Marine Fighting Chair. Irie Fellin, with bridge and cockpit mezzanine seating, has had a complete interior refit. Captain Harold Price has had more than 25 years of worldwide offshore fishing experience to show you a no compromise adventure on the sea. Let's go fishing! Call for reservations. Christiansted boardwalk. fishing@viaccess.net, www.virginislandsoutfitters.com. Christiansted Map #42

Mocko Jumbie - 277-4042
Fish the warm waters surrounding St. Croix with Captain Carl Holley aboard his enclosed, dry 36' Hatteras! Look for Marlin, Wahoo, Tuna, Kingfish, and Dolphin. Full and 1/2 day charters available for up to 6 people--everything you need provided.

Sea Hunter Fishing Charters - 277-1751
It's time to catch that big fish--Marlin, Mahi, Wahoo, Tuna, Snapper and Shark! Join Captain Paul or Captain Fess on your next sea adventure aboard the 55-foot Hatteras Sea Hunter or the 42-foot Stress Buster. Both vessels are full equipped with fighting chairs, fly bridge, freezers (Sea Hunter with a Tuna tower), and ready for Half-Day, Full-Day, or Weekly charters. For more information and reservations call the # above or Ivan at 473-6950. V, MC, AE. www.islandsportfishing.com. Christiansted Map #15

Virgin Kayak Tours

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St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures

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See-Thru Kayaks

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Irie Feelin

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Cruzan Water Sports

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St Croix Water Sports

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Cruzan Breeze Parasailing

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Island Flight Adventures

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St. Croix Dive Experience

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Big Beard's Adventure Tours

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Jolly Roger

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Anchor Dive Center

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Buck Island Charters

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Buck Island Tours with Caribbean Sea Adventures

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Sport Fishing Aboard Mocko Jumbie With Captain Carl Holley

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Sea Hunter Fishing Charters

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Fishing with Caribbean Sea Adventures

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Island Snippet: Conch Shells

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Island Snippet: Underwater Weddings

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Island Snippet: Starfish

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Watersports Directory:
  • Watersports & Activities
  • Schooner Roseway Returns
  • The Reel Story: Sportfishing in St. Croix
  • Dive Experience - First PADI 5-Star IDC Center on St. Croix
  • Buck Island Excursions
  • Sunset Sails
  • Parasailing
  • Waverunners & Jet Skies
  • Scuba
  • Snorkeling
  • Kayak Tours
  • Sportfishing
  • Virgin Kayak Tours
  • St. Croix Ultimate Bluewater Adventures
  • See-Thru Kayaks
  • Irie Feelin
  • Cruzan Water Sports
  • St Croix Water Sports
  • Cruzan Breeze Parasailing
  • Island Flight Adventures
  • St. Croix Dive Experience
  • Big Beard's Adventure Tours
  • Jolly Roger
  • Anchor Dive Center
  • Buck Island Charters
  • Buck Island Tours with Caribbean Sea Adventures
  • Sport Fishing Aboard Mocko Jumbie With Captain Carl Holley
  • Sea Hunter Fishing Charters
  • Fishing with Caribbean Sea Adventures
  • Island Snippet: Conch Shells
  • Island Snippet: Underwater Weddings
  • Island Snippet: Starfish

St. Croix This Week
PO Box 11199 St. Thomas, VI 00801-4199
Telephone: (340) 774-2500
Fax: (340) 776-1466
e-mail: sttw@viaccess.net
For more information and advertising rates contact
Susan Wall at (340) 773-0715 or stcroixthisweek@gmail.com
Copyright © 2009 Morris Caribbean Publications, Inc.
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